Red Brick Kitchen & Bar Welcomes All Ages

For the past four years, Peter and Megan Landrum, the husband and wife team who own the Red Brick Kitchen & Bar, have prided themselves on offering a restaurant space that complements the other great meal options in the downtown Dexter area.

We Love Dexter staff sat down with Peter Landrum Dec. 16 to talk about Red Brick, while taking in the warmth of the exposed brick wall interior.

“We wanted to put together something that was family oriented with good, fresh food as much as possible,” Peter Landrum said. “(We wanted to create) a comfortable village restaurant and bar that you could go to and relax or enjoy with or without kids. We’ve been successful in doing that.”

Landrum said Red Brick provides another dining choice and atmosphere for guests to enjoy downtown.

“We’re just different. We’re another option for the people down here. We love this space and we love being right downtown here.”

When asked what a Red Brick newbie should try as a first meal, Landrum started laughing.

“I hate to give that ‘everything’ answer, but I do. I stand by everything that my chef, Cody, puts out. Everything is just simple, it’s clean, it’s fresh and it’s good. You really can’t go wrong.”

Landrum said there are plenty of options on the menu that will please seafood and meat lovers to vegetarians.

Megan Landrum grew up in the Dexter area, and even though Peter isn’t a Dexter native, he was quickly taken in by its charm.

“I can’t say enough about the community,” Landrum said. “From the very beginning, it’s (been) an inviting place. It’s a friendly community. Everyone’s willing to help out. It’s the community that strangers say ‘hi’ to you on the streets. It’s a comfortable, welcoming place to be.”

Landrum said the variety of restaurants in Dexter has created a vibrant and supportive environment that benefits every local business.

“There’s a lot of great restaurants down here. Every restaurant brings something to this town,” Landrum said. “All of the owners and employees of the other restaurants around here, I think, are very willing to work with one another. Everyone is really involved and really supports everybody else in this town. I wouldn’t ask to be anywhere else.”

Prior to starting Red Brick, Peter owned and operated Cafe Felix in Ann Arbor with his brothers. One of his brothers, David Landrum, also operates Two James Distillery in Detroit.

The Landrums leased the Red Brick building for a year upon opening in September of 2010, eventually purchasing the building and the above apartments in 2011.

In November, the Landrums purchased the empty building next door that was formerly Bits & Pizzas. Plans are underway to expand the Red Brick Kitchen & Bar into that space to increase seating and kitchen space. Landrum said Red Brick has simply outgrown its current kitchen and dining area, and he’s hoping to have both sides up and running in March or April of 2015.

A Red Brick GoFundMe campaign is in progress to raise $25,000 towards renovation costs. The donations will also help to pay employees if the business has to close temporarily during construction. Nearly $2,000 has been raised so far. Donation rewards include free meals and Red Brick glasses to engraved bricks that will be placed in a wall to honor donors.

The restaurant is currently open six days a week, being closed on Sunday.